The present invention relates to a system having an information processing apparatus and a data input apparatus, and a method for controlling the system and, more particularly, to a system capable of automatically executing a predetermined application program in an information processing apparatus in accordance with an operation by a data input apparatus, and a method for controlling the system.
Conventionally, in an image sensing system having an image sensing apparatus (data input apparatus), such as a CCD camera, a computer and a monitor, for executing an application program, such as a TV conference and a TV phone application programs, a user double-clicks on an icon of the application displayed on the monitor or inputs a command via a keyboard.
In the above conventional example, however, for executing a TV conference application program or a TV phone application program, for instance, the user has to operate the computer, e.g., search the desired icon and operate a mouse or input a command using the keyboard. In this manner, the user has to operate both the image sensing apparatus and the computer; turn on the image sensing apparatus, and instruct the computer to execute a desired application program.
Further, there is a demand for a camera capable of sensing a moving image of a person and landscape as well as a high-resolution still image of a document, for example, as an image sensing device to be used in the TV conference system and the TV phone system.
In response, as an image sensing apparatus for a TV conference system or a TV phone, a computer camera having a document mode (for inputting a document in high resolution) and a non-document mode (for inputting a still image and a moving image in general) and capable of performing bidirectional communication with a personal computer is on the market. Such a camera senses a person and landscape, for instance, in the non-document mode, whereas, senses a document which is often written in monochromatic color in the document mode.
A few examples of the document modes and the non-document modes are briefly explained below. In one image sensing apparatus, normal color processing is performed in the non-document mode, whereas mono-chromatic processing is performed in the document mode. Further, an image sensing apparatus capable of performing so-called pixel shifting operation for obtaining a single high-resolution image by synthesizing a plurality of images sensed in a lower resolution while shifting image formation position on an image sensing device, such as a CCD, is available. Camera operation and image processing as in a common video camera are performed without performing the pixel shifting operation in the non-document mode, whereas a high-resolution image is obtained by performing pixel shifting operation using a plane parallel plate, for instance, in the document mode.
When a document is sensed in the document mode, possible ways of using the sensed image of the document are as follows.
(1) Sensed image file is generated as images are obtained.
(2) An application for processing the document of the sensed image is executed. For example, an optical character recognition reader (OCR) software is applied to the document image to obtain a text file.
When applicability and convenience are considered, the processing (2) is often performed. A block diagram illustrating a brief configuration of a system capable of performing the processing (2) is shown in FIG. 13, and a flowchart of a typical operation of the system is shown in FIG. 14.
In FIG. 13, reference numeral 1010 denotes a camera capable of operating in the document mode and the non-document mode; 1020, a personal computer; 1021, a CPU; 1022, a RAM; 1023, a capture board for capturing an image sensed by the camera 1010; 1024, a controller for controlling the camera 1010 and the capture board 1023; 1025, a disk; 1026, an image file of the captured image; 1027, a user interface (camera application) for controlling the camera or other units; 1028, an OCR software which is frequently used after capturing an image of a document; and 1030, a user.
Next, a typical operation for capturing a document image is explained with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. First, the user 1030 inputs a request to sense in the document mode [a″]. At this time, image sensing mode of the camera 1010 changes from the non-document mode to the document mode. Then, the user 1030 inputs a request for capturing a sensed document image [b″], in turn, the document image is captured and stored as the image file 1026. Here, an operation for converting the document file 1026 into a text file using an OCR software is often performed. The user 1030 executes the OCR software 1028 to convert the image file 1026 into a text file.
As described above, after a document is sensed in the document mode, an application software for performing some processing on the document image is frequently executed.
However, since control of the image input apparatus (by camera application) which senses a document, and an application, such as an OCR software, operate independently, in general, it is necessary to initiate the latter application each time a document is sensed. Since an application, such as the OCR software, for processing a document image is frequently used after documents are sensed, the process for initiating the application each time is quite wasteful.